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I want to upgrade my speakers for Hi fi and and finding it difficult to decide.

I have listened to all of the above apart from the Kef Ref 201, beacuse I cannot find a dealer where I can at least demo both the Arcs and the 805 Sigs I cannot make up my mind. I think I prefer the Arcs but again beacause different dealers stock different manufactures its not a fair comparision.

Has anyone listened to both in the same room before? By memory I think the Arcs have a better deeper bass and seem to be much faster and exciting. I do not have a big room, therefore floor standers are out of the question.

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I have just gone from Nautilus 804s to Arcs in a room 18*11ft. They are not noticeably lacking in bass compared to the 804s, which I imagine are a bit more substantial than 805s.

Your comment re faster / more exciting is in line with my view of the difference between the two - the Arcs boogie where I always felt the Nautilus were a bit too restrained. Nice on acoustic, never really let go with rock.

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Not side by side, though I am familiar with both. Rather than 805Sigs (now discontinued and replaced by the 805S) consider the new 804S which uses a tweeter similar to that found in the 805 sig, with the benefits of a larger cabinet.
Robfitzp - i thought my old-model 804s were too restrained until I replaced the cartridge on my turntable with a £1500 Ortofon Jubilee and all the slam re-appeared. That said, on RBCD they DO sound a little lightweight, if beautifully detailed and capable of conveying emotion like few others. Oh and the imaging is incredible.

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I will have to investigate a few dealers where I could at least compare the Arcs and 805 sigs, I have had friends recommend the Pro Ac D15, but I think they won't sound as clean and fast the way I like it.

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Bass007 - The ProAc D15's are amazeingly detailed speakers and for a 2 way floorstander have superb Bass weight highly recommend them i have had mine over a year now and was thinking of selling them for upgrade reasons but i like them so much i don't think i can do it.

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well thanks for that now I'm even more confused! strange beacuse I never use to like the Proacs untill recently I went to an old friends house and he has a custom made ProAc speaker which is huge in physical dimensions, it has the same driver config as a Castle Howard but much bigger, one driver on the top, and uses a Nu Vista 300 Power amp to drive them and they sound BREATHTAKING and he has the smallest of rooms and the is no boom or resonace which was very suprising. I have never head bass on a system without a sub sound so well controlled.

So now what do I do? Listen to all the speakers under the sun? at the same dealer? well Hmm... I really do have to think seriously waht to do Floor standers or Stand mounts? Proacs, Arcs, Kef Refs, B7W sigs...HELPPPPP!

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I've also tried the Arcs Vs 805s(non-Signature),and for me anyway,it came down to the 805's....the Arcs I thought were very good indeed,if not as well made as the B&Ws.
As to sound comparisons....the Arcs and 805s were well matched in the treble range,both smooth and with plenty of detail,and I felt the B&Ws were better in the midrange,and substantially tighter in the bass,but obviously partnering equipment plays a part also(in my house,these were being run off at that time,a Linn/Perpetual Technologies DAC/upsampler,and Krell KMA100s).

As to robfitzp's comments about the "boogie factor",I do agree that the 805's can sound a bit restrained,but only until you give them a real bit of power,when they really do provide the goods,but it is a factor to consider if you don't listen at higher levels regularly(I don't,but am still happy with the 805's).

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Alexs2 - they never quite hit the heights in my room that they did when I demoed them in a large room with a lot of free space to the side and back and an FBP300 Krell powering them. Whether it was the amp (I have used both a Primare A30.1 and a Chord 1200c) or the amount of space around them I am not sure and I don't even want to get into the characteristics of the room etc. They are very good when you really turn the wick up but even before our baby came along the opportunities for that type of listening were limited for me. Great home cinema speakers though.

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Alexs2 - they never quite hit the heights in my room that they did when I demoed them in a large room with a lot of free space to the side and back and an FBP300 Krell powering them. Whether it was the amp (I have used both a Primare A30.1 and a Chord 1200c) or the amount of space around them I am not sure and I don't even want to get into the characteristics of the room etc. They are very good when you really turn the wick up but even before our baby came along the opportunities for that type of listening were limited for me. Great home cinema speakers though.

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Its interesting how different speakers interact with different rooms and amps(and one of the reasons I got the B&Ws was moving to a much older house and finding my Linn Keltiks were just not going to work in our new(old!)lounge).....I think that like a lot of the Nautilus range,they require a lot of power,and when I demo'd them first in the dealer's room,they managed to have a TAG 5x100W amp on it's knees fairly quickly,but the Krells never had any sort of problems with them.
As you say though,great with the power turned up,but a bit restrained at lower levels....I use a set of Quad ESLs and 300B amps for that,and mainly use the 805s for HC and rock now....thankfully our kids are a bit older!

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Sounds like you have got all the bases covered with the two setups. Cunning.

I am definitely going to miss my HTM1 - that is a fantastic centre speaker. Have not really had a play with the WB centre yet - bit of TV, nothing more - but the front of the room just looks wrong with this tiny little centre there.......

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Sounds like you have got all the bases covered with the two setups. Cunning.

I am definitely going to miss my HTM1 - that is a fantastic centre speaker. Have not really had a play with the WB centre yet - bit of TV, nothing more - but the front of the room just looks wrong with this tiny little centre there.......

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The only base not covered is the WAF.....she's getting a bit unhappy with wires,amps and speakers all over the place,plus the potential for serious electrocution with a foot in the wrong place!

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Hello danny daniell i notice you use the kef 203's how are they, exciting clean? or relaxed?

I will be using the the potential speaker with a Nu Vista 300 Power amp, A308 Pre and Meridian Transport and Dac. So hopefully I will have enough power to drive most speakers

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I think what you have there would be a very good match.I have spoken with quite a few Reference users worldwide & the general concensus is that what goes in comes out:this is a very transparent design.I remember a German guy who partnered his 203`s with a MF 308 integrated which he said was a very good match,so you should have no problems! With regards to power....the Kefs thrive on it!The more you give em,the better they sound....dont forget that you can also tri-amp these speakers ,giving you future upgrade options.